Bejeweled Hermitage
The Bejeweled Hermitage was the royal head of state for the planet Dracust, a vassal-planet of the Zarakkanian Empire. Her Majesty, a massive, intelligent, hermit crab-like creature, ruled her crustacean species for a millenia until her death in the Fall of Cask. Physical and Personal Characteristics The only accurate recordings of the Hermitage's rise from birth to galactic power were lost in the Biblioclasm; as a result nobody knows for sure how the Hermitage grew to command her species and seize a place of honor in the Zarakkanian Empire. Some authorities speculate the destruction of these records was performed at Her Majesty's direct command, given Dracustean involvement in the Biblioclasym, but little evidence exists of such an order. Despite the absence of solid records, known facts about the Hermitage suggest why she was distinguished over her peers. First was her sheer size. Estimated to weigh over 100,000 metric tons, the Bejeweled Hermitage eventually dwarfed other potential royals of her race by more than 60%. Ephriam Dulles III, Ghadi Consul from 120 to 132 S.E., once famously noted her size and durability: "She's a giant fucking crab in a carbon-nanite shell; how the fuck are we supposed to deal with that?" A second unique aspect was the Hermitage's shell, the basis for her "Bejeweled" moniker. Unlike most Dracusteans, who adopt natural formations from their oceanic world as shells, the Hermitage bore an seemingly artificial construct: a carbon-nanite shell of unknown origin, encrusted with precious stones, jewels, and rare minerals harvested from every world defeated by Dracustean forces. The shell, similar in composition to most modern FTL-capable ships, was both substantially lighter and stronger than any shell borne by rival Dracusteans, providing the Hermitage a considerable advantage in battle, whether on-planet, in orbit, or in open space. The shell's ability to endure the rigors of interstellar travel allowed the Hermitage far greater mobility for personally conducting both diplomatic and military operations. Finally, the strength of the shell, combined with the Hermitage's considerable size, granted her the impressive ability to perform a sort of personalized orbital strike--her landing on Cask to begin her final battle wiped out an entire division of Sir'Duns, killing or incapacitating over 10,000 infantry. Finally, the Hermitage was noted by her allied peers for her considerable intelligence. However, the only evidence of her cunning is through second-hand reports of Zarakkanian officials; General Ivan Poltask once credited her for the strategy behind the Seige of Ghad and declared her to be "among the greatest military minds in the Milky Way, second only to my own brilliance." Politics It is unknown when or why the Bejeweled Hermitage joined Dracust to the Zarakkanean Empire. The earliest surviving recorded instance of Dracustean and Zarakkanian military cooperation dates to around 1215 F.E., just before the Extermination of the Marqui'si. Dracust and Zarakk are known to have engaged in heavy trade, as the two planets were close enough in space to allow efficient shipping without the use of Bode Nodes. Ledgers from trade frigates indicate Dracust exported large quantities of salt water and organic consumables to Zarakk in exchange for rare minerals and manufactured goods. This trade, which would have granted Zarakk greater sustainability, the subsequent downfall of the Marqui'si, and the dissolution of the Alliance of the Damned may be connected. Assassination Attempts Though attempts on the life of the Hermitage were common, nearly all were laughably unsuccessful. One attempt was unexpectedly thwarted when the would-be bomber was casually stepped upon by the Hermitage herself. An attempt in 10 F.I. by Solar extremists failed when the attackers, flying a freighter of X1 gas, detonated upon exposure to a beam of sunlight reflected and focused by the jewels on the Hermitage's shell. The nearest successful attempt on the Hermitage's life occurred during the Jaeger's Day Massacre in 550 S.E. By the time Zarakkanian authorities relocated the Hermitage and her attackers to the middle of a military installation on Xolrak by means of an ADE shift, her would-be assassins had actually managed to breach her carbon-nanite shell and inflict considerable damage to her abdomen. Though the assassins were rapidly liquidated by Zarakkanian forces, the Hermitage required years of recovery on Dracust before returning to normal activity. Death The Bejeweled Hermitage's millenia of rule came to an abrupt end on the planet Cask after the Zarakkanean's defeat in the Battle of Fifteen Fleets. Though Dracustean forces met considerable success in on-planet operations under her leadership, they were largely eliminated under Sir'Dun bombardment after the withdrawal of the Zarakkanean fleets and those of her remaining allies. The Hermitage survived the bombardment, however, and managed to engage the ships in orbit before being vaporized by pair of drinu shells fired by the Sir'Du flagship Kingsfury.